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Celtic Controls the Media? The Truth Behind the Headlines

Celtic controls the media. It's true. It must be true as I've heard it twice this week alone. Once at work from a colleague who could do with a course in how to show empathy and understanding to his fellow human beings and once on the bus from a guy wearing a Farmfoods bag as a hat. The colleague I've never had any time for but I actually admired the fella on the bus having a stab at his own brand of urban streetwear so I took what he said seriously.


So now it's not just the referees and their fellow officials, Willie Collum , Neil Doncaster, everyone else at the SPFL and the SFA we own. We control the media as well. It might just be me but it doesn't feel that way.


For a start over the years any ex-Celt in the media always seemed to go harder on us than anyone else in my eyes. I always had it down that this was to help them seem impartial whilst ex-Rangers players were allowed to be cheerleaders and big up their former clubs' achievements or defend them when they very occasionally were under any kind of scrutiny. Yep I'm looking at you DJ.



Now some of that anti-Celtic ire may occasionally be because the club treated a fair amount of their former players pretty badly at times. I'm thinking guys like Charlie Nicholas and Andy Walker who have come out and been open about how they feel they were handled during their time at Celtic and have also been at times scathing about us. They may occasionally have put the boot in a little harder than has been necessary or I may be off there. I'm sure everyone out there has their own thoughts on it.


How many times over the years has that cracked club crest been wheeled out along with a “Celts in Crisis” headline? Usually after we draw a couple of games or a toilet in the main stand's clogged up. A lot of the time it's an overreaction in my opinion. A chance to upset the fans. In the internet age this has become even more apparent as clicks count and people react to negativity online a lot more than they do positivity. Incidentally if you need a dose of positivity, you can catch ACSOM every day at 12:30pm to get your daily dose of the good stuff. Be quick mind you as, if we don't go through against LASK, there might be a furrowed brow or two and you may mistake constructive criticism as a concerted effort to undermine those in executive positions at the club.


Am I alone in thinking there are actually a few people in the media who actively work against us at any opportunity? That always put a negative spin on it? We all know who they are. They aren't impartial. There are those who are given a lifetime job purely because they played for a certain club even worse is when they are pitched at us as being even minded because they happened to have played for another club in the SPFL as well. It wasn't because you played at Aberdeen you got on Sportscene mate you have the footballing insight of a rotten cabbage.



Radio isn't any better. EBT recipients abound with their soothing words of “he gets it”, “they get it” but eventually it's always “he's going to get it,” and the Rangers manager cycle starts again. Del hounded out by Halloween anyone?


All this at a time when Celtic refuses to engage with fan media. A vast resource that they refuse to tap into and even occasionally try to scupper. They let the wolves in the door for exclusive interviews and puff pieces yet completely ignore when they take an unmerited bite out of us. I wouldn't ever ban them as I'm all for free speech but I want Celtic to call them out.


Am I paranoid? I'd be interested to hear peoples thoughts one way or the other so leave a comment either here or via the socials.


Anyway I'm off to invest in a box of B&M carrier bags. I hear they are gonna be all the rage this autumn.


Until next time folks.



 
 
 

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